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Why Us

Bologna excels in terms of quality of life, productive system, human resources and environment

Bologna is the main italian cross-road between Continental Europe and the Mediterranean Area.

Bologna is the cultural, administrative and economic heart of Emilia Romagna Region, one of Europe’s most dynamic and productive areas.

• Bologna holds the third place in Italy for G.D.P. per capita (over 32.653 euro)
• The unemployment rate is only 2,7%
• The city holds the record for the highest public health standards
• The entrepreneurial spirit of the area is demonstrated by the fact that Bologna’s metropolitan area has almost one registered company per 10 inhabitants
• 88.000 companies, including 12.000 manufacturing companies, exported over 9 bilion euro worth of goods to 200 countries in 2005. 
• A complex system that experienced an increase of 83% of the number of the companies and a 33% growth of the work force employed in the last 10 years
• Fourth in Italy in bank savings per inhabitant (19.766 €)
• Fifth in Italy in family expenditure for durable goods (1.032 €)
• Among the lowest average interest rate on loans in Italy (5,12%)
• A deeply rooted cultural social cohesion, a commitment to sustainable development and a strong local welfare system

A glance at Foreign Direct Investment 

With a vast number of commercial outlets, modern infrastructure, a prestigious university and top rate research centers, as well as an overall environment favorable to the development of entrepreneurship, Bologna offers immediate advantages for companies that wish to strengthen their presence in Italy and in Europe in general.

There are over 200 international enterprises already present in Bologna that employ over 21,000 workers and create overall earnings of roughly 6 billion Euro.

• Americans and Germans are the principal investors, interested most of all in the acquisition and expansion of highly specialized enterprises, mostly of small to medium sizes
• There is no lack of foreign greenfield investments, however, especially in the hig technological sectors, in the service industries and in logistics
• Prologis, Audi AG, Alstom, LVMH, Nike, Yamaha, Honda, OttoBock, Astra Tech, Rockwell Automation, Caterpillar, Schenker and TNT Post Group are just some of the principal investors that have chosen Bologna as a place to develop their businesses

The main projects planned by 2010                         

The main projects planned for the metropolitan area of Bologna concern 51 projects, 36 infrastructure interventions and 15 urban projects.  Among this:

• the People Mover (mono-railway)
• the expansion of the Trade Fair District
• the first lane of the tram-subway (Metrotramvia)
• the new Bertalia-Lazzaretto university district
• the improvement in Bologna’s high way system, including the Northern motorway by-pass
• New Central Railway Station

• 4,95 billions for infrastructure investments (1,84 billions of which, with resource to come from project financing)
• 1,68 urban renovation projects (such as office districts privately built)

• the High Speed railway lines, which will connect Bologna to Florence in 30 minutes and Bologna to Milan in less than one hour
• the improvement of the Bologna-Florence express highway
• the upgrading of the railway system

Location Opportunities

Besides infrastructure and urban transformations, Bologna’s metropolitan area will provide new significant location opportunities for investors in the next years.

• Among 190 productive areas spread over the metropolitan area, 14 are the areas designated for new settlements and development
• All these new areas present potential strategic development based on superior accessibility, land surface availability and environmental conditioning
• The land surface available for new industrial settlements covers 4,5 million sqm
• The highway, the new northern motorway by-pass, the railway station, airport and freight village can all be easily reached from the productive areas.